A nurse "took a deep breath" before giving a 28-year-old man a devastating cancer diagnosis, the patient has said.
Mikey Connor discovered a cancerous lump on one of his testicles while travelling around the world.
The young referee, who had tickets booked to Australia, the US and Thailand, said he did not think much about the lump and at first believed the pain "all in his head".
Mr Connor said he thought he was in pain as a result of touching the lump - but said that it would then spread to his leg, abdomen and stomach.
Eight months later, when he returned home to Orrell Park in Liverpool, Merseyside, he said the pain worsened and started "to radiate everywhere".
The former semi-professional footballer described the pain as "horrible" and it reminded him of being "kicked in the testicles" as a younger man, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He explained: "I went to my GP and because I was young, fit and healthy, I was rushed through the system and four weeks later I was on the operating table. Everything moved so quickly. It was tough going from travelling the world and living my best life to having the word cancer mentioned.
"It threw me off, I never thought it would have happened to me. Cancer was never close to home, not for my family anyway. My head fell off with all the talk about cancer."
At one point, Mr Connor believed he was cancer-free, but was then informed that there was a 25% possibility that his cancer could return, so he decided to go through chemotherapy.
He said: "It knocked me sideways. It was the worst thing I have ever gone through. It hit me like a ton of bricks. One week after having it I was rushed back into Clatterbridge because I had lost sight in my left eye, couldn’t feel my arms and legs, having panic attacks. It knocked me for six."
Mr Connor, who is a part-time model and is currently on the BBC show I Kissed A Boy, said he was overwhelmed by the support he received after sharing his story on TV.
He added: "It was something I always wanted to talk about on the show. I can only describe the positive response as love, I can’t think of any other way to describe it.
"The main thing is that people are talking and asking about warning signs and symptoms. If my story can help one person that's the main thing. Take the reality side out of things, this is real life and I’m one of the lucky ones to still be here."
Testicular cancer tends to mostly affect men aged between 15 and 49, explains the NHS. Around 2,300 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the UK.
The main symptoms are a swelling or lump in one of the testicles, or any change in shape or texture of the testicles.
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are the three main treatments for testicular cancer. The recommended treatment depends on the type of cancer and the stage it is at.
